Not My Imprint
by scr1be
Summary: A wolf in a relationship chooses to end it all before someone gets hurt. I own nothing you recognize. It all belongs to SM
1. Chapter 1

"I'm sorry." "What do you mean 'you're sorry'? Are you trying to be funny?" "No. This isn't a joke." "Well you're making me laugh! How could you do this to me? What the hell is wrong with you?" "I can't explain it. You have no idea how much I _don't_ want to do this to you. This is killing me." "No. You don't get to play the pity card when you are here to tell me that we can't be together. We've been together for three years, we bought a house together and I'm currently planning our wedding. But all of a sudden you can't be a part of this relationship anymore? Suddenly I'm not the one for you? No." "What do you mean 'no'? There's nothing else to do about it." "That's bullshit. There's no way you've been stringing me along all this time. You didn't suddenly get bored with the life we have together. Whatever is going on with you, you need to figure it out. You either tell me and let me help you get through it or you do it on your own. But the next time I see you all this nonsense had better be behind us. Do I make myself clear?"

He still hadn't looked at her. He couldn't bear to. It was all too horrible. He had been in love with her since he was twelve years old. She was the love of his life, the only person who could calm his raging temper and knock him on his ass when he was out of line. This was the woman he had pledged his heart and soul to. He loved her so much. And it wasn't going to be enough.

Of course she didn't understand. How could she?

How could he explain to her that he was a shape-shifter? He turned into a giant wolf and fought vampires in his spare time. The house they were in the process of buying? He could no longer afford it because he couldn't stop exploding into fur long enough to maintain a job. The arguments they had just because they could and because it always led to great sex? Now he was a danger to her if he ever got the least bit mad. The family they had talked so longingly of? Impossible.

Because now he was a wolf and he had to worry about imprinting on someone and breaking her heart. Better to do it now, before there was someone else to get in the way. He wouldn't watch her suffer if he imprinted on someone else while they were still together. He couldn't stand it if she looked at him the way Leah looked at Sam and Emily.

Why couldn't it be her? Why did this have to be so hard? He loved her. She loved him. Why couldn't they just be happy?

"Do I make myself clear?" she repeated her demand.

"I know that this doesn't make sense to you. This is killing me and I don't know how to make you see the truth of it. There are things I can't tell you and because of those secrets I can't be with you anymore." "So, you start hanging around Sam and the boys and suddenly your life is full of secrets that I have no part of. If you are doing something illegal, if they've dragged you into their mess I'll kill them. But we can get out together. I can help you get away from whatever it is." "We aren't doing anything illegal and I'm not in danger. There's things about us that you can't understand." "Make me understand." "I can't. The secrets aren't mine to give away."

She was mad now and he was doing everything he could not to respond in kind. But he was furious with himself and the universe and with Sam. How could this have happened? Why couldn't she be the one? His heart clearly thought she was. Why wouldn't his wolf get with the program?

A look of sudden clarity came over her face and she backed up a step. "You really do love me, don't you?" "Does it matter anymore?" "Yes, it matters to me. I don't understand why you're doing this if you care so much about me. I don't understand at all. If you were breaking up with me because our relationship was stagnant and boring, if you met someone else or my faults are finally too much for you - those are all understandable reasons. But you still love me, I can see how much this is hurting you. So why do it at all?"

Why did she have to know him so well? Why couldn't he have just lied and said he didn't love her? But he had never lied to her before and he couldn't start with this.

"You're going to find someone so special. You're going to find the right guy for you some day. I'm sorry that I'm not him." "But you _are_! I chose you a long time ago." "Love isn't a choice." Not for a wolf.

"Love is the _only_ choice! It's the only choice you get to make in your life. Everything else can fall right on your head but you have to _choose_ to love someone, to let them in and to fight for them when life takes every other option away. You know how hard it was for me to make that choice. Why can't you fight for us?" "I don't want to hurt you." "You're hurting me now." "It would be worse later. It could be so much worse." "How?"

She was starting to cry as she realized he wasn't going to give ground on this. He had made his decision but it wasn't her.

"I could be forced to love someone else." "Forced?" Understanding shot through her eyes and she straightened her spine as she prepared to lay into him again.

"You've been listening to the elders too often. Those stories aren't real! There's no such thing as love at first sight! Love is something you fight for every day; it isn't something that just happens to you." "I'm sorry. I really am."

He turned to walk away then, he couldn't stand the look in her eyes. Her pain was killing him. He had to get out of here before he lost control and more than her heart got hurt.


	2. Author's Note

I have received a couple of questions about this story that I am obliged to answer.

It was originally meant as a one-shot. This was just a scene in my head that had no story to go with it. I get hung up on the dramatic scenes of expletives and broken hearts and they just clamor to get out.

That being said, I really feel like this one isn't finished and in time I may do an attached story under a similar name.

I left their identities unknown so you could read it as whichever wolf was your favorite. The names didn't matter because I wasn't continuing from this point. If, in future, something comes of this I will obviously clue you in but this scene is meant to speak to you about whichever wolf you love best and have a connection with.

Anyone's heart can be broken by unforeseen circumstances. Anyone can make the hard choices in life and that is what this scene is depicting.

If I publish anything to go with this I will let ya'll know. Any special requests will be taken into consideration.

Thanks for reading!


	3. Not My Imprint - the rest of the story

The first chapters of Not My Imprint - The rest of the story

is up and ready to go! Let me know how you guys feel about it.


End file.
